Page:Complete Works of Count Tolstoy - 18.djvu/315



. He is a hard-working man!

. He is a good man, but the lady does not like him. She says he does not make a good appearance. They accused him yesterday of letting some peasants into the kitchen, and I am afraid they will discharge him. And he is such a nice fellow.

. What peasants?

. Some peasants from our Kursk village came to buy some land. It was night-time, and they are his countrymen. One of them is also the father of the peasant of the pantry. So they took them to the kitchen. They happened to have mind-reading here last night they hid something in the kitchen. Then all the company went into the kitchen, and there the lady saw them. Well, it was terrible! "These people," says she, "might be infected, and you let them stay in the kitchen!" She is dreadfully afraid of the infection.

. Go, Grigóri, and help Yákov Iványch, while I will stay here by myself. He can't get it done himself.

. He can't get it done because he is awkward. (Exit.)

. A new fashion they have started with this infection! And so your lady is afraid of it, too?

. She is afraid of it worse than of